Attachment for striking and punching bags



(No Model.) v

Pf C. FOSTER. H ATTACHMENT FOR STRIKING AND PUNGHING BAGS.

Patented Oct. 1,1895.

t Y 5w/6727507,

AN DREW 'BRAHANL PHOTo-u'mmwASNIRBTDN. D C.

FEELING C. FOSTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENTAFOR `STRIKING AND PUNCHING BAGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,342, dated 'October 1, 1895.

Application flied February 1l, 1895. Serial No. 537,846. (No model.) l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FEELING C'. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States,'residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Attachments for Punching and Striking Bags, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to attachments for punching and striking bags. These devices have been used somewhat extensively, and in some of the common forms of supporting them they are suspended by a loose string, or they are suspended between cords, one attached to the floor below and the other to the ceiling above, and one or both of them elastic. They are also often mounted in connection with an overhanging canopy or platform, against which, when struck, they impinge and rebound. There are a variety of difficulties with most of the bags commonly used, some of which I may mention to thus impart and exhibit the objects of my invention. the bag strikes against any other object-as, for example, the canopy or ceiling above-it makes a noise, it jars the building or partition of the room in which it is used, and it is worn by such contact. If the bag is suspended between two cords, it is plain that it offers a permanent obstacle and is continually in the way of persons attempting to move about the room. When the bag strikes any other object, unless the bag is perfectly true and the contact is in a line vertical to the surface, it will rebound in a direction differing from the direction of its approach, and hence will not return to the proper position, as required by the person using it. lf the bag is suspended between two cords it has a tend ency, in oscillating back and forth, to rotate about the line between the two points of engagement of the cord.

My invention seeks to obviate these difficulties as well as to avoid many others inci dent to the use of the ordinary bag.

My obj ect also is to provide a striking-bag attachment such as will permit the bag to be easily set up or removed, and. which, for eX- ample, will permit it to be attached easily in a doorway or the like and then removed when no longer required.

My object also is to get a quicker, livelier action of the bag, or perhaps I might say a 'When l more lifelike action of the bag, to cause it to return to the proper point to avoid injuring it by knocking it against obstructions or other surfaces and the like.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a side view of one form of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a section through the same. Fig. 3 is a detail of the mechanism for clamping the fixture to a beam. Fig. 4 is a detail modification.

Like parts are indicated by the same letters in all the figures.

A is the bag, having preferably the upper holding-loop B.

C is a bell or funnel shaped piece set over the loop. D is a hook therein which engages the loop.

E is a coveringflap secured to the bag about the edge of the funnel and then carried up on the funnel and laced thereabout.

F is a thumb-screw ou the upper end of the screw-threaded rod associated With the hook. This rod passes through the externally-screwthreaded plug G, which is secured rigidly to the upper end of the funnel.

H is a tubeV screw-threaded at both ends and adapted to engage the exterior surface of the screw-threaded plug Gr at one end. At the other end it is screwed int-o a plug J at the lower end of the spiral spring K, the upper end of which is secured to a nipple L ou the lower end of the plate M. This plate is provided with screw-holes N N, whereby it may be secured to the ceiling. It may also be provided with the upturned flanges O O, one of which has the cushion-lining P.. At the opposite side is the movable plate R, with a similar cushion S. Through the adjacent flange projectthe screw-plugs T T, having thumb-pieces U U and adapted when turned to force forward the plate R.

The form which l have shown and described is to be considered little more than a mere illustrative form of my invention, as it is capable of very wide modification and varia- `tion, and, indeed, l have made great variations in it. Some of these l will describe. Thus the relative lengths of the spiral spring and the rigid rod may, of course, be Varied at will. The spiral spring, I think, is the best form; but l have also used and contemplate IOO using other elastic media. The method of attaching the bag is also capable of variation.

The covering for the funnel is not, of course, imperatively necessary; but it makes a more certain protection for the hand of the person using the apparatus. The spring, instead of being long and in the shape indicated, may be but a short spring connection from the rod to the attachment-plate. Thus my first form consisted of an elastic support or the like secured above, with 'the rigid rod beginning therefrom. This device I have illustrated in Fig. 4. Of course I do not show the details.

X is the support, of any size or shape and secured above in any desired manner. Y is the rod connected thereto, and the other end of the rod holds the punching-bag.

I have made the funnel C of aluminum and of thin sheet metal; but of course other material may be used for this purpose, when desired.

The use and operation of my invention are probably suflciently shown from what is above set out; but I may add by way of showing that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of the general idea of the device, that when it has been secured in position, whether permanently by the screwsor removably by the clamp and set-screws, the bag if struck will move quickly away from the user and then by the action of the spiral spring will move back within reach again.

It strikes nothing and it does not return by force of gravity alone or by rebounding, since the connection though partially elastic is practically rigid from the bag to the point of attachment; or, in other words, since the distance from the point of attachment to the vbag is practically uniform, there is little opportunity for the bag to do other than return to the proper point and no tendency to Wobble about, as is often the case When the bag is held by a loose or even an elastic cord or rubber. It is not, of course, necessary that the elastic or spring portion should pass entirely up to the securing-plate, and moreover for certain kinds of eXercisers it might be desirable to have the bag elastically attached at its lower end, so as to give it a certain play on the rigid support; but ordinarily this is not to be desired. The spiral springs somewhat as I have shown could be made to serve as the entire support, or, in other words, could extend from the point of attachment to the funnel or to the bag itself.

The funnel into which the bag is drawn Should be comparatively rigid, since otherwise it will be of little benefit as a support. The particular method of attaching the bag might be employed with a flexible funnel; but the supporting feature or quality of the funnel can only be realized when the funnel is made rigid.

l. The combination of a striking and punching bag with a rigid funnel shaped piece into which the upper end of the bag is received, a

loop on the bag, a hook to engage the same,

and means associated with the funnel and hook and adapted to draw the hook up into the funnel tightly to clamp the bag and funnel together, so that the funnel will serve as a support for the bag.

2. The combination of a striking and punching bag with a funnel shaped piece into which the upper end of the bag is received, a loop on the bag, a hook to engage the same, said hook having an upper screw-threaded end and a thumb nut thereon whereby the hook is drawn up into the funnel and the bag brought tightly against the mouth of the funnel.

3. As a support for a striking and punching bag a comparatively rigid funnel adapted to receive one end of the bag, with a tightening device adapted to draw the bag into the funnel.

4. The combination of a striking and punching bag with a comparatively rigid funnel to receive one end of the bag, and a supporting part attached to the funnel and to the place whence the bag is to be suspended, said supporting part containing an elastic portion.

FRELING C. FOSTER. Witnesses:

JNO. H. COULTER, D. M. CARTER. 

